Coastal fishery market in the port of Vigo gets ISO certificate

This certificate, which was already awarded to the Deep Sea Fishery Market a year ago, guarantees the quality of the commercialisation process. It includes the moment of arrival in port, the fishing vessel's mooring authorisation, the surveillance and coordination of landing operations, stowing, and auction, until the fish is loaded into trucks for transportation to various European markets. AENOR's decision makes these two Vigo markets the first in the world to obtain this quality certificate.

According to the agency's report, this was achieved due to the motivation of those responsible for the various stages of the commercialisation process

Last month the Vigo Port Authority, led by Julio Pedrosa, said that the personnel working in the markets (around 6,000 people in total) have actively collaborated to achieve this certificate, which makes the safety and quality standards of Galician fish and seafood among the highest in Europe, reports FIS.

They also explained that the certificate recognises the Port Authority's administrative improvement and its collaboration with fishing companies to obtain the highest added value for sea products.

Speaking to World Fishing, a spokesman from the Vigo Port Authority said that while in other Spanish ports landings are decreasing, in Vigo fish landings and sales have increased since last year Fresh fish landings until October accounted for 71,054 tonnes, an 8.45% up compared with the same period last year.

Carlos Losado, director of the development department of the Port said: "We hope that this certificate helps to change Europe's beliefs of pirates practices in Spain. It gives transparency to the whole process. It means that a third party guarantees that the fish market follows an strict quality control and we are the only port in the world to have this certificate"

Mr Losada also appealed to the EU to eliminate all the Ports that, he says, are undercontroled throghout Europe.

The AENOR report was requested by the Port Authorities this summer, after the opening of the new Coastal Fishery and Big Fish Market.